Red Raiders Football Notebook

Texas Tech appears likely to play Alabama in the Red Raiders' 2012 football season opener, Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said Monday.

Myers said ESPN/ABC official Dave Brown "brought us together on this.''

"We've agreed to do it,'' Myers said. "I think Alabama's agreed to do it. But we haven't gotten down to signing a contract or anything like that.''

The deal would be for one game at a neutral site - in this case, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Myers said.

"Coach (Tommy) Tuberville is aware of the game and is in support of playing it,'' Myers said. "I understand (Crimson Tide coach Nick) Saban is also on board for it. We're in the talking stages, but we haven't gotten down to talking contract with it yet.''

The game would be the first weekend of September 2012, Myers said, and would not require Tech to move a game to accommodate a deal with Alabama.

Round to Sheffield

After reviewing the tape, Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said Stephen Sheffield was the best of the quarterbacks who played in Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage.

"I thought he had a pretty good day,'' Tuberville said. "He was head and heels the best guy at quarterback, but (Taylor) Potts had some (passes) dropped.

"A lot of times quarterbacks get the blame and don't do as well as the other one because of dropped passes.''

Sheffield was 18 of 25 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Potts was 13 of 25 for 141 yards with an interception, which offensive coordinator Neal Brown blamed on a receiver running the wrong route.

Sloppy scrimmage

Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said the team didn't grade out well on the first scrimmage. He said there were too many mental mistakes on both sides and the defense got tired.

"We looked good about 60 percent of the time, and we just kind of shut it down about 40 percent of the time,'' Tuberville said. "You can't win championships doing that.''

Tuberville said he thought Tech players bounced back with a good practice on Monday which, like the scrimmage, was in full pads.

"We've got a lot of guys giving good effort,'' he said.

Tight end plans

Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said he expects to use a tight end about 15 or 20 plays per game next season, assuming the offense runs about 80 plays a game.

"Obviously, that's not something we're going to hang our hat on,'' Tuberville said, "but we need to do that for both sides' mental and physical toughness and, really, to help the (Tech) defense because they're going to see some of it next year.''

Adam James, who is more of an inside receiver, and converted defensive end Ryan Haliburton from Frenship are the only players being used at tight end during the spring.

Because the position is short of candidates, Tuberville said the Red Raiders might add a freshman to that mix for next season.

Run game tuneup

The Tech offense spent more time on the running game Monday than in any other practice so far.

"Today was a physical practice,'' head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We did a lot more in terms of run-oriented practice, and we'll continue to do that. Last week was more of a passing week. This week will be more of a running week.''

Zouzalik, Mitchem shine

The team scrimmaged for 25 plays at the end of Monday's practice. Sophomore inside receiver Austin Zouzalik from Coronado caught passes for 15, 16 and 12 yards.

Senior safety Franklin Mitchem might have been the biggest playmaker on defense.

Mitchem intercepted a pass down the middle, and ranged over to break up a deep ball for split end Eric Ward. Mitchem and defensive end Aundrey Barr got quick pass-rush pressure on quarterback Seth Doege, forcing an incomplete pass.

The big offensive play was a 50-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Potts to Ward on a fly pattern down the left sideline.

The only other touchdown in the 25-play sequence came courtesy of a 4-yard run by running back Baron Batch.

In brief

Tech coaches have decided to close the second scrimmage on Friday and Monday's practice. Coach Tommy Tuberville indicated the scrimmage will be shorter than last week's and then players will have Saturday and Sunday off for Easter weekend.

Compiled by Don Williams

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